Tag: Jawhar Jordan

Texans add back former draft pick to practice squad

The Houston Texans are bringing back a former draft pick to the practice squad.

Jawhar Jordan is back with the Houston Texans.

The Texans signed the rookie running back to the practice squad Tuesday after previously reaching an injury settlement with him for an oblique injury.

Houston also released defensive end Rashad Weaver from the 53-man roster and offensive lineman Arlington Hambright from the practice squad. This means a roster spot is open for a player to either be added via trade or removed from the injured reserve.

Cornerback Jeff Okudah and linebacker Christian Harris seem to be the prime suspects to be added later this week as Houston returns to NRG Stadium for its Week 8 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

A sixth-round pick out of Louisville in 2024, Jordan was expected to compete for the third-down back role and the return game during training camp. Fully healthy, the 5-foot-9 runner could be elevated to the active roster should the Texans need help on punt returns with Robert Woods and Steven Sims sidelined.

During his final year with the Cardinals, Jordan rushed for 1,128 yards and led the ACC with 13 touchdowns.

Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce earn off day in Texans preseason finale

Despite an inefficient preseason, Dameon Pierce appears on his way to making the Houston Texans roster after earning an off day against Rams

Despite his inefficiencies, Dameon’s Pierce spot on the Houston Texans roster seems secure after earning an off day along with starter Joe Mixon during the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams.

Houston will use running backs, Cam Akers, Jawhar Jordan, Dare Ogunbowale, British Brooks and J.J. Taylor. Akers will be the first on the field.

It’s unclear how many running backs Houston will keep on the active roster. Akers has been the biggest riser in training camp after rushing for 59 yards on 17 attempts and catching five passes for 42 yards with a touchdown.

Ogunbowale appeared to be the favorite for the third running back spot entering camp and he may still earn a roster spot for his special teams contributions alone. He’s rushed for 28 yards and a touchdown on eight carries with an additional 21 yards receiving.

Among the trio, Taylor leads the group with 55 rushing yards, averaging 4.6 per attempt. Jordan proved to be a capable receiving back a week ago with 42 yards on four catches.

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans pleased with ‘wake-up call’ from rookie running backs

Jawhar Jordan and British Brooks continue to catch the attention of DeMeco Ryans and others in limited reps through the early stages of training camp.

Initially, DeMeco Ryans planned for Houston Texans rookie running back Jawhar Jordan and British Brooks to see exclusive reps during the fourth quarter of the Hall of Fame game last Thursday night against the Chicago Bears.

The weather decided to quite literally rain on the team’s plan and their parade in the eventual 21-17 loss in Canton, Ohio.

Jordan, a sixth-round pick out of Louisville, finished with just three carries for five yards. Brooks, an undrafted free agent from North Carolina, touched the ball once for a loss of two yards.

Reps are essential to determine if a player can withstand contact at the pro level, so Jordan and Brooks are expected to see an expanded total of carries Friday night when Houston takes on Pittsburgh in its second preseason.

That doesn’t mean either player hasn’t impressed the coaching staff with the minor opportunities.

“Out of the reps they did get, they made the most out of it,” Ryans said. “You see Brooks made a nice play on special teams. Jawhar had a run that we think we could’ve done a better job of finishing and running the ball, so now I see how he’s running the ball in practice. He’s done a great job this week. Probably his best week of camp so far.”

Jordan, who last season finished with a 1,128 as Louisville’s top rusher, also adds value on special teams. He’s rotated in with Dameon Pierce, Tank Dell and others on kickoff and punt return drills.

Brooks, primarily used on third down in Chapel Hill last season, has been physical on kickoff and punt coverage while working with the third-team offense. In pass protection, he’s improved while guarding both Davis Mills and Case Keenum.

Although their rep counts were limited, Ryans views Thursday’s game as a positive baseline for both players to show what they must improve on if they hope to make the active roster.

“That game definitely served its purpose of showing the young guys, ‘Hey, what does it truly take to build and get better in the league.’ They’ve got that answer. They’ve got that wake-up call, so to speak. And they’ve shown it this week in practice.”

The Texans will kick off at Acrisure Stadium at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on NFL Network.

Watch: Highlights of new Texans RB Jawhar Jordan

The Houston Texans have found another running back to add to the mix with the addition of Louisville’s Jawhar Jordan. Take a look at his highlights here!

The Houston Texans are adding more speed to their backfield in 2024. 

After moving back with the Detroit Lions, Houston wasted little time at pick No. 205 to select Louisville running back Jawhar Jordan in the NFL draft. 

Jordan, known for his straight-line speed and special teams skills, should compete for a role on kickoff and punt returns. He also should fill the void as the No. 3 running back behind Pro Bowler Joe Mixon and third-year standout Dameon Pierce. 

A transfer from Syracuse, the 5-foot-9 runner shined during his time at Lousiville, totaling nearly 2,000 yards in two seasons. Last year, he rushed for 1,128 and scored an ACC-leading 13 touchdowns under new head coach Jeff Brohm. 

Jordan’s proven to be a runner who can take over games. In 2023, he 134 yards against Boston College and had a 75-yard touchdown catch and a 40-yard kickoff return. He also hit the 100-yard marker six times in 12 games last fall. 

In 2022, Jordan was named the MVP of the 2022 Fenway Bowl, rushing for 115 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Cincinnati. In his final season with the Cardinals, Jordan averaged 6.33 yards per rush attempt. 

The Texans won’t need Jordan to be a difference-maker initially, but they could see him carve out a niche role on third down. He’s also been a standout in the passing game, totaling 31 receptions for over 300 yards and a touchdown in two seasons. 

These highlights from Lousivlle show exactly what Jordan brings to the Texans’ offense in 2024.

List of running backs at 2024 Senior Bowl

A quick list of the running backs in Mobile this week for the Senior Bowl.

Rolling on with taking a look at who will be in Mobile, Alabama for the Senior Bowl — a game in which Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be a head coach — here are the running backs that will take part this week.

Coaching the running backs in Mobile will be Cardinals running backs coach Autry Denson and Jamel Mutunga, who spent last season coaching the running backs for the Panthers.

Running back could be a spot the Jets look at late as they look for help behind Breece Hall and Israel Abanikanda. This looks like an interesting group in Mobile, including one of the stars of Missouri’s surprise run to a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

2024 Senior Bowl preview: Running backs

Ahead of the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl, we are previewing each position group on the roster. Our 2nd preview focuses on the running backs

One of the most important events on the National Football League calendar is the Senior Bowl. Held the week after the conference championship games, it is the true beginning of the NFL draft cycle.

Not only do scouts and analysts like us get to see over 100 draft prospects in one place competing against each other, but it’s also an opportunity for analysts and personnel alike to get together and have discussions about a number of topics.

As we look forward to this year’s Senior Bowl, managing editor Tyler Forness will be there in person to break everything down.

We will be breaking down each position group and what to look for throughout the week. Here is the running back position.

Other previews:

Quarterback

Louisville stars Jamari Thrash and Jawhar Jordan both expected to suit up against Virginia

The Cardinals’ leading rusher and receiver this season are game-time decisions Thursday night but expected to suit up, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Louisville stars Jamari Thrash and Jawhar Jordan are both expected to suit up and at least try to play on Thursday night against Virginia, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports.

Thrash did not play last week in the Cardinals’ 34-3 win over Virginia Tech. His 712 receiving yards are second in the conference behind the Cavaliers’ Malik Washington, and the Louisville junior’s 15.5 yards per catch are the most among any ACC wideout with at least 40 receptions.

Jordan, the ACC’s second-leading rusher with 881 yards this season, was limited to just 14 carries for 57 yards last week as he dealt with a hamstring injury. He’s scored 12 total touchdowns this season, trailing only North Carolina‘s Omarion Hampton in the conference.

Cardinals cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. will not play.

Louisville’s game against Virginia kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Louisville could be 2023’s TCU, according to Timanus’s Week 6 overreactions

After a multi-score victory over Notre Dame to stay undefeated, USA Today’s Week 6 Overreactions say Louisville could match TCU’s 2022 magic.

The Louisville Cardinals would not have been top of mind if you asked anyone for a preseason ACC favorite. Through six weeks, however, they’re the first team in the conference to bowl eligibility and one of three remaining unbeatens after a 33-20 home victory over Notre Dame. But who says the magic needs to stop there?

USA Today’s Eddie Timanus, among his Week 6 Overreactions, said the Cardinals could emulate the TCU Horned Frogs’ CFP run from a season ago, with similar themes in a new head coach, a roster rebuilt through the transfer portal and excellent close-game luck.

Again, it’s important to keep in mind that Timanus framed this as an overreaction, not a prediction. But Timanus pointed out that the Cardinals just need to finish in the top 2 of the ACC to play in the title game and they don’t play North Carolina or Florida State, the other premiere teams thus far.

In all likelihood, a situation like TCU might be a once-in-a-decade situation. There have been 36 College Football Playoff teams since the format’s inception. 30 of them have either been an SEC team, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, or Notre Dame.

But there’s some foundation there, and that’s all Timanus is pointing out. The Cardinals control their own destiny for the rest of the regular season. Louisville has maybe the two most electric position players in the conference in Jawhar Jordan and Jamari Thrash, who they can rely on similar to how the Horned Frogs relied on Quintin Johnston. Quarterback Jack Plummer can’t match Max Duggan as a dual threat, but he has 11 touchdowns and four interceptions against Power 5 opponents. The Cardinals are fourth in scoring offense and third in scoring defense in the ACC.

The ACC seems a bit too top-heavy compared to last year’s Big 12 to feel anything more than a faint hope for another Cinderella story. Oklahoma and Texas were rebuilding a season ago, especially with the Sooners an uncommon 6-7. TCU still didn’t win the conference, either, needing the Pac-12 and ACC to both produce multi-loss champions to sneak into the dance.

Florida State hasn’t looked dominant since Week 1, but they still knocked the doors off LSU. North Carolina has the conference’s best player in quarterback Drake Maye, and their defense and rushing attack have shown up consistently throughout the year.

Louisville still has a couple of major tests left this season, with Duke, Miami, and Kentucky all on the schedule. And their white-knuckle scuffle with N.C. State showed any week could pop the balloon. But the path exists, and the similarities aren’t nothing.

Know your foe, Louisville: Which Cardinals could give Notre Dame problems

The Irish continue their gauntlet of difficult games

Notre Dame football will face their third consecutive ranked opponent at night, as they travel to Louisville, Kentucky to face the Cardinals.

The Irish didn’t start this run on a good foot, but righted the ship against Duke. Quarterback Sam Hartman played the hero and the Irish finished their comeback as running back Audric Estime found the end zone with time running out.

Hopefully this weekend won’t be as dramatic, but if Louisville has a say in that, it will be. They’re a solid team that has plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball. Find out below a few of them that could make life uneasy for the Irish.

Louisville statistical leaders through five games

Does anyone here scare you?

Louisville cracked the rankings just in time for Notre Dame to come visit it. On one hand, the timing couldn’t be better for the Irish as a strong season for the Cardinals could mean a chance to bolster their College Football Playoff chances with a win. On the other, it’s the third straight quality opponent for the Irish with another one coming next week in USC, so the schedule isn’t getting any easier. They need a breather as much as anyone in the country.

Take a look at the Cardinals, and you’ll see some players in particular putting up big numbers. One could argue that’s because the Cardinals haven’t really played anyone yet. Whatever the case, this isn’t a team the Irish can afford to relax against. In fact, it’s a borderline trap game.

Here are the players on Louisville’s roster most likely to put their team in the best spot to succeed: